Burial
Our Catholic faith teaches that all life is precious, always to be treated with dignity. From the earliest days of Christianity, the Catholic community has reverently laid a loved one to rest in sacred ground until the Resurrection of the Dead.
There are many gardens in our Catholic Cemeteries from which to choose if ground burial is desired.
Veterans can be laid to rest with fellow comrades in the Veteran’s Garden at Holy Hope Cemetery. There is a special mass offered on Memorial Day to commemorate those that served.
Adjacent to the Veteran’s Garden is our Garden of Valor. It is dedicated to and exclusively for those Police and Fire personnel who have served to protect and keep us safe.We are eternally grateful to our first responders and safety personnel.
Catholics who have a special devotion to Our Lady of Guadalupe find comfort praying before the statue of Our Lady, which is the centerpiece in the the garden that commemorates her.
The Knights of Columbus have an area where they and their families are remembered for all the good and generous works they have done for the church.
In addition to the above, there are many other choice areas from which to select a final resting place. We invite you to visit our cemeteries and walk our sacred grounds to feel the serenity and peace a Catholic Cemetery holds for you.
Mausoleum Crypts/Niches
Jesus was laid to rest in a tomb. We honor our war dead when the President places a wreath at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier. George Washington and his family was laid to rest in the family mausoleum at Mount Vernon. Above ground entombment has always signified a special form of burial. However, the cost was usually out of reach for most families.
Today, however, because we build community mausoleums, the cost is lower because it is shared by all those who purchase crypts in it, thereby making a mausoleum selection affordable. When visiting the cemetery, ask about the features and advantages of mausoleum entombment.
A niche is a recessed panel on a wall into which an urn, containing cremains, can be permanently placed. The name of the deceased is memorialized on the front of it. Niches can be found in a mausoleum building or on a free standing columbaria which is a collection of niches. Columbaria are placed in various gardens around our cemeteries. The benefit of a niche is that it provides a permanent place for the cremains at an affordable price.
Lawn Crypts
A Lawn Crypt is a practical choice for ground burial. It includes a grave and a concrete, outer burial container into which the casket is placed. Because we have pre-installed many Lawn Crypts they are less costly than purchasing a grave and a concrete outer burial container separately. A single Lawn Crypt will accommodate one casket and a double depth Lawn Crypt, with two burial spaces, will accommodate two caskets, one above the other.
Cremation
Since 1963, the Catholic Church has permitted Catholics to be cremated. The church strongly prefers that cremation take place following the full funeral liturgy with the body present. The presence of the body at the Funeral Liturgy most clearly brings to mind the life and death of a person and better expresses the values that the church affirms in its rites. Church teaching tells us that a permanent place, such as a grave or niche, should be used for the placement of the urn. The grave or niche should be memorialized with the name of the deceased. Keeping the urn at home, scattering, separating or putting cremains in jewelry is not allowed.
Memorials
The memorial is the final, lasting tribute that can be provided for our loved ones. Memorials are available at our Catholic Cemeteries in either bronze or granite and in many different sizes and colors. Along with the name and dates of birth and death, families can arrange for meaningful designs, emblems or terms of endearment that will bring comfort to all who visit the grave.
Floral Tributes at Gravesites
Bringing floral decorations to the grave is a loving expression and a healing opportunity for families. We ask that all decorations be placed in an approved vase or container and that they are removed when they become unsightly so our cemeteries can be kept beautiful. For the convenience of our families, there are vases and floral arrangements available for purchase at the cemetery office as well as a seasonal flower subscription. Please remember to ask for a brochure highlighting the Rules and Regulations concerning grave decoration.